Newbie ??

Can you feed a ball python too much??

I'm a new owner. I bought her at a reptile show. The owner was trying to sell me a different snake after he dropped his price on her and told me she was a trouble eater. She was not underweight, but no means hefty. Long story short: I asked him how long a snake can go without food before you panic, how to force feed, and I took her home. Well I thought she would be a problem child like the rest of my pets, BUT She has eaten a mouse on 4/26, 4/28, 5/1, and I fed her today too. I know most people feed once a week. Am I giving her too much?

DO NOT force feed it just stresses the snake out more when you do that, I would assist feed, meaning put the mouse, or rat in its mouth instead of down its throat and see if it restricts and eats. It seems like shes taking food pretty well if she ate 3 meals in less than a week. If shes taking food like that I would keep going to get her nice and big just try to keep it two meals a week. Good luck!

-Payson!

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Originally Posted by koloo921

4/26, 4/28, 5/1, and I fed her today too.

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May i ask why your feedings are so close together?

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Originally Posted by koloo921

I know most people feed once a week. Am I giving her too much?

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And sorry if this sounds rude but if you KNOW most feed on a weekly schedule some do 5 days even why would you do a two day schedule? What on earth makes you do that?

Now since were on this subject what are your temps? Most people keep them at a hotspot of 90-94.

Better yet i would suggest you read over the caresheet
http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59

Sorry if this sounds rude its just you obviously know the normal feeding schedule for most people are 7 days why you continually offer at the 2 day mark is beyond me

Edit: Nice to see more people from Ohio here :) Do you attend the Columbus show often? Because you live around like 30 mins from where i do

I personally keep my BP on a 5-day schedule. I know many breeders like to keep their BPs on a 5-day feeding schedule from hatchling to sub-adult and/or 1000 grams. However, it also works great for an underweight snake. If the BP you bought was a supposed "problem feeder", giving too much in too short of time span can do more harm than good. Too many meals in quick succession after not eating very often at all can stress out the snake's digestive system. My best advice would be to stick to every 5 days. Or, if you really wish to, every 4 days minimum. Every 4 days is about the lowest I'll go.

It's like what happened to some of those saps on Survivor quite some time ago - they won a huge gourmet buffet, and after gorging themselves, half of them threw up because their systems were not used to so much food.

Hi,

I think we need a little more info to makle any decisions on anything aside from the feeding interval.

What weight and size is the snake and what weight are the mice she is happily eating for you?


dr del

i dont even have a BP yet & that SOUNDS like its too much!

I would stay away from a 2 day eating cycle. They take longer to digest their food and your over feeding could cause digestive issues.

5 day cycle is best.

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

I think we need a little more info to makle any decisions on anything aside from the feeding interval.

What weight and size is the snake and what weight are the mice she is happily eating for you?


dr del

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I'm new to this myself, but this sounds like the right question for you to answer. If you're feeding her pinky mice every couple of days, that's different than feeding her medium-sized rats on the same schedule. In other words, you could have fed her what should amount to one normal-sized meal by spreading it out over the course of a week. Or you could be over-feeding her.